My Favourite Boy

Do you design the layout with or without the photo??? Lots of people that I teach ask me this all the time, and to be honest I tend to design my layouts without any particular photos in mind as I need to make sure that they will suit everyone's photos not just the ones from my collection. This was very much the case of the layout above, which actually was based on this gorgeous apple template that I used on my apron in the summer. I then realised that I couldn't easily give this paper a title due its lovely blackness, so I simply sanded off a little area and stamped Adored over the top. I then followed through by sanding a border around the edge about 1" inch from the sides. For a simple and really quick layout I actually love it...I then found of of my favourite photos of my boy which just fitted perfectly (and a great reminder to me that actually it would have been quite hard to design a whole 12x12 around a tiny old black and white photo)..love a man in uniform!!

Give this layout a go..well the sandpaper bit anyway, and just use a shape/template that you love in a lovely contrasting paper where the apple is.

Off tomorrow to show some ladies how to make a gorgeous little vintage album..here is the sneak peak images they have been sent...will show you the whole thing after the weekend.

Keep creative
xx

Birds

I love to see if I can spot trends and get inspiration through window shopping and their displays...great excuse to get into the high street as well. Quite often I take my camera so I can capture displays that inspire me...see this gorgeous bird cage in a window in Brighton. I'm thinking they have simply made the cage out of wire and then wound lengths of fabric around it. They have then put pretty birds on the perch....now cute would this look in your home!!! ...... now look closely at the photo again, and you'll spot my poor bored daughter in the reflection, doing that "omg mum's taking photos of windows again" look....only spotted this when I downloaded the photos today...did make me laugh!

This layout is therefore perfect to share with you on the theme of birds and bird cages or houses in this case. I simply made a template and then used stripes of pale blue and brown papers to cover. I used a small floral stamp for the bottom border and also in the door of the birdhouse. I then made a small bird out of a really lovely lime green to contrast the paler colours and embellished with a flower and ribbon. Quite a simply layout but just right for a busy photo of mini scrapper turning up to school one day and being treated to an owl on her shoulder...she's obviously not that comfortable, check out the double chin as she tries to move away.

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My Vintage Boys

Here is one of the layouts we did for our September Scrap Saturday...where we managed to do 6 layouts in the same session, some of my girls even finishing with photos - it was a busy, yet most enjoyable day!...

I wanted to celebrate scrapbooking journalling cards, as they are a little something that I love and buy often, yet they don't seem to have caught on here as well as I would have thought. They seem so easy to me...beautiful designed by talented artists with perhaps a title or journalling already on them. These ones are from my delish bistro range and are only 10p on my website in the sale. I've simply centred this layout around the journalling cards, and little extra's (postage stamp sticker, high tea seals - both delish), a paper rose and a small crown/flourish stamp. I didn't want to do much else with the actual photos as they were so beautiful all on their own.



In case you are wondering my vintage boys are my dad (top right hand corner) and my Uncle George on the bottom - how cute are they both!

Hope this layout inspires you to dig out old family photos!

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BBQ Googles!

As parents, the boy and I hope to give mini scrapper as many life skills as possible and the confidence to use her inititive....well no smoke in this kids eyes, as you can see she's invented BBQ googles - she wanted to cook supper for us, so we light the portable BBQ and bought her some sausages, and when she rushed upstairs we weren't sure what she'd surprise us with, only to find her sat back at her post in your swimming googles. Sausages tasted good too!!!

Had a lovely day as always at The Eternal Maker will full classes this morning and this afternoon. We did the wrapping paper collages and then these following two layouts.

For this one, I stamped rose petals and then painted them with watercolours. I glamour dusted 1 layer, and then script stamped the 3rd and 4th layer, finishing with a Delish brad in the middle.

On this vintage layout, I made a large L monogram, which I then made a stamped label to hang off it, and used a fabric rose with a brad in the middle. I love this photo of my grandmother's wedding.

What will tomorrow bring? how exciting to imagine the possiblities!
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Layouts

Thought you might like to see a couple of the layouts we did for Scrap Saturday this month.....I love black and white papers and enjoyed trying out these new ones from My Minds Eye. I simply covered an envelope front and flap and then put on a paper rose with a delish shield brad in the middle. This become the start of the centre piece combined with menu cards from this collection, along with delish clear stamp stickers.

For the photos, my girls always tease me about taking portrait photos! I don't mean to, my camera just seems to fit the picture in better when I tilt it to the side - so this time I foxed them by simply making portrait photos by cutting my 4x6 landscape ones into 2 inch strips. Love the way it now looks. For the smaller ones up top, I cut down to 3x2. Have a go at cutting your photos like this, its amazing how you can really focus in on the subject.

On our second layout, I showed the girls how delightful it is to hand-cut fabric when you simply iron on violene (is that how you spell it??)it makes the fabric must stronger. I then draw a doodle stitch line around the petals to save my sewing fingers. Next layer was a simple piece of hat netting, then my favourite puff flower in the middle. I did just nip in a couple of pleats into the netting so that it gave a nice 3d effect. Think these would look fab on clothes, bags, album covers - one for your "embellishment production" line ladies. I then made my own bling, by punching glittery paper with my single hole punch (remember the dots will be hidden in its "jaws" - it was very funny watching everyone look on their tables to find the dots). You then have lovely glittery dots to decorate with....and yes I did ink every one if case you were wondered. I then just used frame stamps to finish off, catching the very edge of the rose on the frame stamp along the side of the strip of paper to make an interesting edge that matched.


OK, so in case your wondering about the collage...well I am doing a secret project for a Chelsea Garden...just think 10 square meters covered in old maps. As soon as I'm allowed to show you sneak peaks I will! promise!

Keep happy and organise to call a friend that you've been meaning to call for ages. It was with great sadness that we attended a friends funeral today, who we weren't ready to say goodbye to, but who has left us with a memory of living life to the full and enjoying every moment we are here!

xx

Through the eyes of the camera

Love to find 5 minutes to catch up on reading others blogs, and just love Ali Edwards latest challenge of capturing a week in her life. Check it out here www.aliedwards.typepad.com. Anyway I went upstairs to photograph some more layouts for my gallery which I'm desperately trying to finish loading, follow this link to see them, and just had to take a picture of my work area...how can I sometimes make so much mess? Imagaine if I was doing her challenge - would I need to tidy up first, cos when you look at her gorgeous creative space it looks so wonderful. Actually mine looks so much better through the lens of the camera and as a picture - looks all creative and colourful, when the reality is its just a big mess and I should really try and find places for everything. Trouble is I'm spilling out of this tiny room, sometimes having to back out on tip toes not to disturb little piles that mean something to me but knowone else. Maybe that's the trick, just photograph everything in an arty way then mess is necessary - will stick to that wisdom for today!
Hope you are all having a fab Wednesday!
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Scrap Saturday Layouts

Had heaps of fun teaching the girls these 3 layouts on Scrap Saturday this weekend. Each layout carries handmade embellishment pieces, from a 3D Heart to Paper Bunting to the popular Fat Bird! I love to make my own pieces on layouts so that each and everyone is unique. Hope these give you lots of inspiration!
xx

Packing!

Why do we do it? pack for an emergency evacuation, take snacks that you can't possibly buy abroad, take endless games just in case you can't find anything to do at your destination, and then if that's not enough, tidy the house for the cats to enjoy whilst they have a peaceful time on their own while you nip away for a few days....I do this everytime, charging every battery in sight, making endless notes of things to do before we leave! But then at about this time, suitcases by the front door, batteries ready to fire up a rocket to space, and my clothes ready to just simply slip on in the early hours, I start to relax and think YEAH I'm on holiday tomorrow. Obviously the last thing to pack is a quick crafty bag, with bits of fabric, my ideas notebook, and a few tools, just in case an idea pops into my head. I'll look forward to telling you all about my adventure when I get back. If you need me just email me at debs@thescrapbookcompany.co.uk, cos my IT whizz of a husband has managed to divert this to his blackberry (keep it clean ladies - he'll be watching our every crafty and daft move!).
Keep creative until then, and hug those you love!
xx
Here are the layouts we did on Saturday to hopefully give you some inspiration!

Christmas Layout

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

The presents are all under the tree, with the Christmas Eve present for Holly right at the front for later tonight - a marvelous tradition my Mum started when we were young, a small "doing" present to keep our excitement at bay - this is usually when I got a new paper doll.

I have put my Christmas layout loose in my album, all ready to simply choose my favourite photos taken tomorrow and put in place. I use a template which I covered with lots of 1 inch strips of Christmas paper, then recut out the template and inked all the edges. I then put a line of glue and glamour dust across each seam to bring in a bit of sparkle. I've put two 4x6 photo mounts to the top corner as well so I know exactly where my photos will go. I can't wait to put small photos peeking through the holes.

I'm really looking forward to getting creative again over the holidays, with to be honest colours other than red or green. Give me my favourite black and whites with a hint of jewel colouring, hazing pinks and purples and a shot of limey green - yippee!

Wishing you all a brillant festive season full of wonderful memories!

Enjoy your loved ones!

Debs
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